Martin Nature Center

Earlier this year we took the girls to the Martin Nature Center. It's in Oklahoma City just West of Mercy hospital. I had driven past it many times and had always wanted to visit. We decided on one trip for vision therapy for McKenna we would stop and we are so glad we did. Martin Nature Center is an amazing place! We've been back several times since that first visit.  It is so hard to believe that such a wild and natural place exists in a busy place like OKC. On the first visit we didn't have time to go through the nature center building and had to save that for another time. The nature center is open Wednesdays - Sundays, 9-6. Closed holidays. You can read more about the nature center here.

 My husband and the girls had a grand time looking through the viewing wall at the birds. It was nice that they had a step-stool for little ones to be able to be tall enough to take a peek too.

The girls had to stop on the path and have a little discussion about things. As you can tell by the snow on the ground the weather hadn't quite warmed up yet.


Hard to believe that is a stream with rushing water in an area that has houses just a few blocks away.

 The girls posing at the entrance. The nature center building is right behind them. It's small, but full of the most interesting things. One of the coolest things they have inside is their indoor beehive. There is a tube connected to the beehive and passing through the wall to the outside. Bees can come and go and visitors can view the bees making honey! I'm pretty sure they have educational classes there  from time to time. I noticed a classroom or two. At least they looked like classrooms.        




 

 There  are a couple of does in this picture, but you probably can't  see them. I tried to snap the picture , but I wasn't quite quick enough to get them while they were fully in the open.

 McKenna had a good time viewing the area from the observation deck of this wooden tower.

Besides the two doe and various birds we saw several geese. They were happily swimming in the large pond.

                    A reminder that we need to remember this is a nature park and we are visitors.

 The girls stopped to watch the ducks swimming under the bridge as we entered the nature center. Martin Nature center is so well thought out. The trails are easy to navigate and there is something interesting well placed for the best chance of viewing wildlife along the trails.

Mistletoe! There were several bundles in the trees of the nature center.

My husband hugging a huge tree at the center. From the looks of the leaves I believe it was a Burr Oak. 

Animal Tracks!

 Who's tracks could these be? Perhaps a raccoon?

Can you see the large bird nest in the tree?

This stream is a fairly good size stream and in this area has some small rapids. Right to the East of this area the stream turns a bend and heads East.It's running sort of North to Northeast here.